A Mind Darkly Drawn
by scubarang
Summary: A demon from the past threatens to come between Ginny and Draco, Blaise gets spanked and Luna is trying to overcome the Nargles. Can Uncle Severus help his Gryffindor Princess in her battle against the unknown? Inspired by Ginny Draws Draco Challenge DG
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was not submitted to Rowan-Greenleaf's Ginny Draws Draco Challenge but was inspired by it and I consider it to be a step-child of the Challenge family. But definitely a half-blood, not a Muggle born at all. No, it's practically pure-blood if you look at it from a certain angle.

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this, I can barely claim it as mine.

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A MIND DARKLY DRAWN

CHAPTER ONE

Ginny leaned back against the tree, and let the warmth of the sun wash over her. It may be near winter outside, but in the Room of Requirement it was a lovely spring day.

She picked up her sketchbook and charcoal, and let her imagination flow freely. Flowing lines began to appear on the parchment, and she lost herself to her creative inner world. Ginny was so immersed she didn't hear another person entering the room.

Warm, strong fingers caressed her cheek from her right, and she jumped a little at the touch.

"Draco! How many times have I told you not to frighten me like that?" Ginny disliked the small quiver of real fear in her voice, knowing he heard it.

Over these last few weeks, that was one thing she was sure about with Draco Malfoy; he noticed everything. She couldn't hide a thing from him. The ironic thing was she didn't really want to...But there was that deep layer hidden inside of her that she didn't think anyone should see.

What would Draco do if he knew of her fear that Tom was still somewhere inside her? She was not afraid that Tom could do something to Draco or herself, but that Draco might leave her before Tom even got the opportunity to ruin her chance at love.

"Gin love, don't be like that. I just wanted to see you, and once I did, I couldn't help but touch you." He spoke softly, so as not to draw her ire. "I called your name but you didn't answer. I thought you knew I was here. Who else could get in the room to be with you? Only I know what you require when you come here to draw."

Platinum hair hanging just to his perfect brows which arched over eyes shining silver like a moonlit sun; Draco embodied all the precious metals and jewels the Malfoy riches could buy. Ginny was humbled by his icy beauty yet her entire being was warmed with the knowledge that he really was the only person who knew what she required.

Hesitant to believe the vision before her was real, she reached out her hand to his, pulling it back to her cheek. "I'm sorry. You just startled me. You know I get caught up when I'm drawing." Ginny was quietly trying to close her book so he couldn't see.

She wasn't sure what she had been drawing, and if it was something she couldn't show to Draco she had to be careful.

When she found sketches that were dark and full of misery, she threw them into the fire. Since Ginny had started seeing Draco, she wanted to embrace the light that could be in her life. He was helping her to push Tom out of her being, but he had no idea he was doing it.

"Draco, do you ever find that time has passed, and you weren't aware of what had been happening?" She couldn't look at him directly as she asked, and kept her face tilted towards her lap. "I mean, sometimes when I'm drawing…" Ginny seemed unable to complete what she was trying to convey to Draco.

"It's like I pick up the chalk and the next thing I know my book has pages of pictures I don't remember drawing. That's not too normal, is it?" As Ginny looked up to see what Draco's reaction might be, she was a little disconcerted to see that he seemed to not be paying attention to her. He had a far off look in his eyes, and seemed focused on some unknown object in the distance.

"Ginny love, I've lost too much time in my life to unknown actions." Draco's voice was deep and sombre as he seemed to be remembering something. "I don't remember much of my sixth year. Most of the memories are vague with only emotions showing clearly. Fear, anxiety, and even a little guilt, if you can believe that." He seemed to be trying to make light of something that was truly dark.

"Looking back, I think those memories are vague because they were only living in darkness." Draco was absently running a finger over a scar on the top of his hand as if remembering something that had happened in the darkness he spoke of. "If you stay in a dark room you will remember only emotions you felt, or physical things that you may have experienced. There are no visual senses to remember. You feel a bit lost, I suppose." He leaned in a bit towards her, and looked into the pools of amber that were her eyes.

Draco loved her eyes; they were truly the window to Ginny's soul. She was an open book to him, and he revelled in the fact that she gave him that power with no doubt, or fear. He had her total trust, and he had never been more serene to be this close emotionally to another person. He knew he had never been this open to someone before; not even his family had known this part of Draco. It was a frightening rush that filled him with an unexplainable bliss. The urge to kiss Ginny was overwhelming to Draco as he reflected upon the fact that they had yet to kiss.

It had been over a month since Draco had figured out that Ginny was watching him -watching and drawing- and about two weeks since they had mutually decided to make an effort at becoming something. That seemed like an eternity to be with someone that he felt such affection for, and not show it physically.

He had always had his way with the girls he dated. They were more than willing to provide physical companionship. But Draco didn't want just lust with Ginny; he wanted the whole package.

Oh, he'd been frustrated these past few weeks, no doubt about it. (Blaise had threatened more than once to lock him in a cold shower until he became human again.) But she was so beautiful and so fragile, that he didn't want to break her spirit just for a few minutes of pleasure.

For the first time in his life he had respect for a girl, and it was quite a daunting feeling. He was on unsteady ground, and he didn't want to push her away.

Ginny cleared all of his doubts at the moment by acting first; Draco was shocked to feel her soft, warm lips upon his. She was so sweet and open. His still open eyes looked at her and he was finished.

She seemed to be glowing, and he heard a little sigh come from her. As his eyes drifted shut, Draco began kissing her back carefully; if he showed too much excitement, she might feel intimidated, but if he didn't show enough of the passion he was feeling, she might mistake it for disinterest. No, best to go slowly, and let her choose the level of innocence they would maintain.

The kiss was chaste. Sweet and pure, and flowing with the trust they felt for each other. They both knew they had a lot to lose, and this was somehow a big step for them for being such a simple kiss.

They broke apart and looked at each other.

"Why haven't we done that before?" was all Ginny got out before she again pressed her lips upon his.

This time the kiss went deeper. She nibbled at his tongue, and Draco had never had such a thing done to him before. Kissing Ginny seemed new and exciting, as if he had never felt passion before. Perhaps he hadn't; this feeling was intense and exhilarating.

Draco had never really liked kissing the girls he dated. It had seemed too intimate for such casual affairs. In the pure-blood society he was raised in, casual sex was practically expected, and Draco had never worried that physical intimacy endangered the sanctity of his inner self. Sex was just that, sex. Nothing more than physical fun and release.

Ginny was humming against his lips and the soft vibration was driving him to madness. Did she want him to go crazy on her? Was she aware that she was doing unspeakable things to his self control?

She had put her hands along his jaw line, and he felt a glow of warmth that seemed to be increasing, as if the contact was building up a charge of electricity that was ready to burst.

Draco didn't really know the extent of Ginny's experiences with the opposite sex. He knew she had dated a few fellows, including Potter, but he didn't really consider that as experience. He had no doubt that Potter was clueless about women in general, and he knew Potter didn't care enough about Ginny to really know her at all.

Regardless of her level of knowledge about other men, she obviously knew just what to do to push Draco to the edge.

"Draco…" Just a gasp was heard as Ginny pulled back.

She was flushed, and Draco knew his eyes reflected the same as hers; confusion and unbridled desire.

"I… I'm scared." Ginny was so quiet and honest in what she was feeling.

Draco didn't know what to think of a girl being honest in this type of situation. They had always been coy or manipulative, never honest. He was buzzing physically from her contact with him, and his heart seemed to be beating like a hollow drum. It was almost a painful feeling in his chest, and he realised he was scared as well.

"Scared of what? I'm not going to do anything to you Ginny!" Draco snapped out, regretting his outburst immediately.

It wasn't Ginny's fault he feared a negative response from her. Draco knew Ginny hadn't meant she was rejecting him, but he wanted to drive her away before she could push him away.

In just those few moments of unguarded emotions with Ginny, Draco had felt passion and fear as well. But he couldn't tell her; he could only fall back to his old ways, and build up his protection.

It seemed his cold words pulled her back to the Ginny of just a few months ago, and she simply turned and walked out of the room.

If Draco thought that her possible rejection was painful, then to see her walk away hurting because of him was excruciating.

He wanted to call after her but he couldn't. His throat seemed tight, and his tongue felt twice its normal size.

Ginny didn't turn back to see Draco standing in the door watching her leave him.

Draco firmly closed the door behind him, shutting out Ginny's conjured beach of tranquillity. He put his mask on, the one that betrayed no emotion, and pointedly strolled to the dungeon before anyone could see that he was upset.

There were plenty of breakable things in his room he could take his frustration out on.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Many, many thanks to the best beta there is, Rowan-Greenleaf. She makes it almost painful. Of course, pain can be a good thing, right?

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this; I can barely claim it as mine.

CHAPTER TWO

Ginny was a little stunned. She wasn't crying as she had been when she had left Draco, and she wasn't angry. She felt what could be described as disappointment. She felt a little hurt that their first kiss had been so compelling, yet they both turned so cold immediately after.

She knew that they were both afraid of the level of intensity between them, but their opposite natures caused them to react differently. She expressed her emotions, he repressed his. Ginny knew from the beginning that this difference in personalities would cause them problems. She was willing to face this and try to compromise, but did Draco feel the same?

Ginny wanted to understand why Draco tried to push her away when she told him how she felt. She knew he really liked her and his action seemed almost cruel in light of that fact. Ginny also knew that if Draco couldn't learn to accept that he felt some strong emotion for her, even if it caused discomfort, then their relationship really wouldn't go anywhere.

As much as Ginny knew she liked Draco, she didn't know if she was willing to suppress her emotions in order to help him avoid his. That wasn't really her nature. She might have followed Harry around for years with unrequited love, but that was different. And, she knew now, what she had felt for Harry was mostly infatuation based on genuine fondness.

The passion she felt with Draco was entirely different. She felt alive when she was with Draco. It was new and exciting, and she wanted all she could get.

She entered her dorm, and decided to catch up on her homework. She wanted to allow Draco time to come to terms with his inner turmoil.

Ginny decided she rather liked this new found patience that didn't have her temper flaring all over the place, only to regret and have to repair any damage she might have caused during a tantrum. Still, she heaved a small sigh, knowing that Draco was suffering and she couldn't do anything for him.

After her Potions essay was finished, Ginny took out her sketch book. She looked at what she had been drawing earlier in the Room of Requirement, and wasn't sure what to make of it.

There were dark clouds in a sky full of lightning and she could almost feel the electricity in the air. A young girl stood in front of a wall looking fearfully around, clutching a small doll.

Upon closer inspection it appeared that the doll was a small dragon, and as with most small children, she clung to the doll as her safety line against all monsters. She must have felt the presence of the monster that was on the other side of the wall, for a monster it was.

A large, albino snake was crawling along the borders of the wall. It had glowing eyes, and each time its forked tongue flicked out, it appeared as if a drop of poison dripped off. Ginny was sure if this had been in colour the eyes would have been a blood red shade.

A shiver went down her spine at this drawing, and she desperately wanted to throw it in the fire as she usually did with her dark drawings. This time was different. Usually the dark sketches she made were of a general darkness. This drawing was very specific, and, of course, she knew exactly who each of the three characters were in the drawing.

She suddenly needed Draco with her, as the little girl needed her doll. How could she get to him without intruding upon his needed solitude?

Draco hadn't become her boyfriend to solve all her problems and destroy her inner demons.

Her family had never wanted to acknowledge that Ginny might need help dealing with the events of her first year; so she doubted Draco would consider getting involved in her attempts at evading Tom's clutches. She needed someone to turn to now, and she knew Luna was her only hope at the moment.

Ginny quickly left her room and wove her way out of the common room, her target being the Ravenclaw portrait hole. As she stepped out through the Fat Lady's portrait she felt a cold shiver of fear shoot down her spine, leaving a trail of icy chills.

She glanced quickly around, but saw no one.

Still, the urgency to get to somewhere safe increased, and she started to jog quickly through the halls, towards the promise of the light that was her best friend Luna.

Cold sweat was running down her spine, and she felt her heart beginning to tighten from the fear she was experiencing. As she flew around a corner she ran into Blaise and Draco, and fell roughly to the floor, looking panicked and scared.

"Ginny! What's wrong?" Draco's concern was evident, and Ginny thought she could detect a little fear as well. Her adrenaline was on high right now, and her head felt dizzy due to the loud buzzing in her ears. Luckily Draco was holding her tight, having already picked her up off the floor.

"What's going on Ginny? Is someone chasing you?" Blaise was looking around the hallways but didn't see anyone in the vicinity.

Ginny was in semi-shock at the great contrast between the extreme terror she had just been feeling, and the warmth and safety she was feeling now in Draco's arms. She was clinging tightly to his neck with her face pressed against his chest, trying to adjust her breathing to his steady and soothing pattern. Feeling woozy, she tried to push out the sound of Blaise's continued questions on what was going on.

Knowing Ginny wasn't going to answer him right now, Blaise started walking, with his wand drawn in front of him, in the direction Ginny had come from.

She stayed silent in Draco's embrace and he was silent as well, seeming to understand she was trying to gather her strength and wits back.

A few moments later Blaise returned, and noticed Ginny had dropped a piece of parchment when she fell. He picked it up, and after looking at it, he glanced to Draco meaningfully. Waving his wand in the direction he had just come from, Blaise quietly cast a spell. He and Draco saw the red glowing outline of a large snake-like figure, with what appeared like a trail going behind it. The figure seemed to draw itself up and hiss at them before quickly disappearing.

"Draco, I'm okay if you want to put me down now." Ginny's voice was shaky, but determined. "I'm assuming you both understand what that was." She said all of this matter-of-factly, as if she was identifying a species of animal at the zoo. "We need to talk, but I want Luna there as well. Blaise, can you bring Luna to the Room of Requirement?"

With a quick nod, Blaise headed towards the Ravenclaw portrait to seek her out.

"Draco…" Looking into his grey eyes, Ginny tried to get the handsome blond Slytherin to release her.

He looked down a little sheepishly but didn't really want to let her go. He placed her feet to the floor but kept his arm around her waist, and held her close.

They turned as one, and headed to the place where just a few hours ago they had shared what might have been considered their first fight as a couple.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Many, many thanks to the best beta there is, Rowan-Greenleaf. She makes it almost painful. Of course, pain can be a good thing, right?

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this; I can barely claim it as mine.

CHAPTER THREE

When Luna and Blaise entered the Room of Requirement, they immediately felt the warmth, and the relaxing atmosphere the room had provided. There was a cheerful fire burning, and the air held a warm earthy smell of sandalwood, amber and vanilla. There were two comfortable love seats in front of the fireplace, and a table with snacks and drinks between them.

Ginny and Draco were sitting snugly together, and were talking softly as the other couple approached. The tension that Blaise had seen in Draco before they found Ginny was gone, and Ginny seemed to have recovered from her panicked state of a few minutes ago.

When Ginny saw them come in, she jumped out of her seat and flung her arms around Luna.

No matter how safe she felt with Draco, she still needed the comfort that could only be provided by her best friend. Luna hugged her back, and murmured softly in Ginny's ear.

Ginny gave a quick sniff and surreptitiously wiped a tear out of her eye before letting go of the blond girl, a smile of thanks on her face.

"I was coming to find you when I met Blaise in the hall," Luna explained resolutely. "I had been warned that the Quirkles were invading the castle and that they were heading for Gryffindor first. Are you okay Ginny? They can be terribly malicious if they are allowed to be touched by sunlight or water." Luna was perfectly serious in her inquiry, and though she used the terms of unknown creatures to describe the event, she was correct in her fears.

"I'm okay Lu, but I was quite scared. It was waiting for me outside the tower and though I couldn't see it, I could feel it." Ginny was able to speak calmly about it now, as she had already described what had happened to Draco while they had waited.

"It felt like evil was chasing me through the castle, and I don't know why. Blaise knew the spell to reveal it's presence but I'm afraid that didn't do anything to calm my fear." She gave her drawing to the others to look at, explaining when she had drawn it.

She also explained what she had tried to tell Draco earlier about her sense of time loss, and what types of things she drew during those times.

"… So basically, for the last five or six years I've felt like I'm still carrying a part of Tom inside me, and I didn't want to tell anyone for fear of what they would think." Ginny finished, now certain that her closest friends needed to know what was happening.

If Tom was coming back, she would need their help.

When she was eleven Tom had been able to posses her because she had no one to go to in her time of need. Now she had three close friends and would need all their help if Tom really was after her.

**X**

"I'm hungry." Blaise looked to the others with pleading eyes as he stretched the stiff muscles in his back.

They had spent the last few hours looking for clues as to what was going on, going through the books that the room had provided.

A pop was suddenly heard, and a table with four chairs, food, and drinks of all varieties appeared behind them.

"This room is fantastic! Why hasn't anyone shown this place to me before?" Blaise looked pointedly at Luna as if to say, 'We could have been having so many adventures here.'

Luna blushed slightly, and Draco pointedly cleared his throat. "The things that you would require, the room may be unable to provide. I doubt if the witches and wizards that set up the spells were deviant enough to provide for your wishes."

Blaise's feigned look of dismay had everyone laughing knowing that the fact was most likely true.

The handsome dark Slytherin would never purposely do harm to anyone, but Ginny knew he had what most would consider an abnormal liking for things of a slightly darker nature.

Ginny had often wondered how he was when he was intimate with Luna, as she had a hard time picturing the dreamy girl spanking Blaise until he cried for mercy; Draco had told her of the time he had come across them on a walk around the grounds.

They had been just inside the trees on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Blaise was on all fours, and Luna stood above him striking his backside with a rather large tree branch.

They had both been fully clothed but the rather disturbing event had given Draco the strong desire to make sure he always announced himself before going into Blaise's room from now on.

Ginny found that after having been around the Slytherins these last few months that things of this nature did not really disturb her. What two people do in the privacy of their room (or at least in forbidden areas) was their business.

A few months ago, Ginny realised, she would have been greatly offended and disturbed by the thought of this act, and would have called the Slytherin evil for it. Now she saw it as what her father liked to declare as, 'Different strokes for different folks'. Evil was subjective and this fact became more apparent as time went on.

This subjectivity was why she was worried about what had happened to her today. The fear of the overpowering sense of evil was all too real to Ginny but was it really there; did the others sense it as well?

Everyone had been quiet the last few hours so Ginny knew no one had really found anything. She wanted to be strong, but she was afraid. The events of her first year were still too vivid in her memory, no matter how much she had tried to forget them.

"Yea! The carrots are crinkle cut!" Luna's nonsensical happiness over the shapes of steamed vegetables broke the tension, and everyone enjoyed the dinner provided while momentarily forgetting about their worries.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Many, many thanks to the best beta there is, Rowan-Greenleaf. This is for you, babe.

semicolon

n : a punctuation mark (;) used to connect independent clauses; indicates a closer relation than does a period

heh heh, closer relation (snicker)

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this; I can barely claim it as mine.

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CHAPTER FOUR

Ginny was contemplating on the conversation she had with Draco in the Room of Requirement a few days ago. She had still been a little shaken and had been glad to be sitting in Draco's lap on the love seat.

"_Ginny love, are you okay now? I was so scared when I saw the fear in your eyes. I don't ever want to feel like that again." The sincerity in Draco's voice caused Ginny to look into his eyes. She saw his left eye give a twitch as he swallowed loudly. "I'm sorry I pushed you away earlier. It was hurtful of me, and I wasn't thinking about what I was saying."_

Ginny knew how difficult it was for Draco to admit his limitations to her. By simply remembering that conversation, she felt the same overwhelming warmth and affection for him that she had felt at the time.

'I think I'm falling in love with Draco Malfoy.' As Ginny finally admitted this to herself, she felt as if a great weight was being lifted.

She hadn't realised how much her worries over how she was truly feeling about Draco had been stressing her out.

She heaved a great sigh and lifted herself from the red overstuffed chair placed in front of the Gryffindor fire. The common room was empty at this time of night and the room was peacefully silent for a change.

Ginny walked to the window and looked out into the inky night sky around the castle. The grounds looked as if they were in the same serene state as Gryffindor tower was at the moment. Ginny gave another little happy sigh that briefly clouded the window in front of her.

When the fog cleared from the glass she thought she saw a red streak of light move quickly towards the castle from the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

She looked closer, but the light had gone.

It had glowed like a spell would, but seemed to have had a specific shape to it.

Ginny felt her stomach drop when she realised it was the same red glow that Blaise's revealing spell had shown the other day. She began to panic as she realised she was alone in Gryffindor common room this time, and wouldn't be running into any saviours tonight.

Why was this happening to her? What was happening to her?

In a state of urgency born of fear, Ginny ran out the portrait hole towards the dungeons. She didn't want to be caught by the snake before she got to Draco.

She was close to the Slytherin common room, panting from running so fast, when she encountered someone she hadn't planned on meeting.

"Miss Weasley," a nasal voice drawled, stopping her in her tracks.

Ginny hadn't seen her skulking Potions Master exit his office as she ran past it.

"What could possibly be so important to have you out after curfew and in the dungeons?" He raised one eyebrow at her as if daring her to say something other than she was here to see her boyfriend.

Ginny had never talked about it with Draco, but she assumed that Professor Snape did not approve of their relationship. Looking into his intense, dark eyes, she braced herself for the worst.

But even her fear of the Slytherin Head of House didn't exceed her fear of the demon she was sure would not be far behind her. In Ginny's state of distress she could think only of the safety she felt in Draco's embrace, and failed to recognize the potential help standing in front of her in the form of the scowling, black clad teacher. She was looking about wildly in all directions expecting to see a red shape coming towards her.

"It's important that I speak to Draco immediately, Professor. I need his help and I need it now. If you care about the safety of one of Hogwart's students then you'll let me see him." Ginny knew it was a bit unfair to imply he didn't care about herself, or any of the students, but she was desperate in her fear.

"Perhaps if you explained to me wha-" Snape didn't have time to finish before Ginny cut him off.

"I need his help! He's the only one I trust!" She was shouting, and each word was escalating in pitch until she was sure even small dogs in France were whining over the screeching.

Snape gave her a chilling glare. "You will not address me-" again he was cut off; this time by Draco and Blaise, who had sprung from the entrance to the common room at the sounds of the two shouting in the hall outside.

Draco had caught enough of what was said and he could see the look in the eyes of both. He knew there was only one thing to be done. "Uncle Severus, can we take this in your office? We need privacy and safety right now."

Snape looked imperiously down his hooked nose at both Draco and Ginny before he replied. "I will assume -since you chose to make use of some imagined emotional bond by calling me by some delusional name of affection- that you feel this is important." The cold in his voice could have chilled Lucifer's iced tea to perfection for a pleasant day in hell.

Ginny shivered just a little, reaffirming her earlier thought of his displeasure with her.

"If either of you is wasting my time by simply trying to avoid detention, rest assured, you will have defeated yourselves in that attempt. I will make sure even Mr. Filch will tire of seeing you suffer before I am through." He had already turned around and was opening the door for them by the time he had finished.

Ginny thought it a little odd that though his words showed great disdain for them, his actions portrayed that he respected their request for privacy.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and followed the three Slytherins into the office, thankful to be going some place she at least felt was safe.

Her desire to understand Snape was soon forgotten, for the presence of three strong and able wizards gave her greater feelings of safety.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Many, many thanks to the best beta there is, Rowan-Greenleaf.

Decided lack of brilliant witticism here, perhaps chapter six A/N holds future promise. In fact, if not for the desire to publicly hail Rowan's greatness to the masses, I probably couldn't be bothered.

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this; I can barely claim it as mine.

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CHAPTER FIVE

Ginny had initially fought against telling Snape the entire story, but now she was glad they had.

"Have you ever practiced Occlumency or Legilimency, Miss Weasley?" Professor Snape had listened to her entire story silently, without interruption, or even a scowl or sneer sent her way.

Ginny found herself confused again by Snape's respect towards her.

"No sir. I tried to get Harry to teach me when he was taking lessons from you, but he refused."

Snape sneered and Ginny heaved a sigh of relief at the familiar sight.

"In order to teach something you must have somehow acquired that knowledge. Mr. Potter never applied himself enough to gain any of the necessary knowledge for these skills. I suspect that you may have these talents naturally."

"How can one have spells naturally, sir?" Ginny wanted to show Professor Snape as much respect as he had shown to her so far since entering his office.

"Occlumency is only a spell of sorts. Even Muggles can clear their minds of thoughts with techniques of control, relaxation, meditation, etc. But Legilimency takes some natural talent and many cannot ever learn it -like our esteemed Mr. Potter." The sarcasm was heavy in his voice and encouraged a subtle snigger from the two Slytherins witnessing the conversation.

"But I've never tried to read anyone's mind before. And there are many days I wish I could get the voices in my head to shut up." This comment had Draco and Blaise snorting now, and even Snape had a suspect twinkle in his eye.

"Hey! I'm not a mad woman, I'll have you know," Ginny said hotly, glaring at the Slytherins, particularly at the blond one, who had the grace to blush. "You all know very well that there are little voices in our heads that talk to all of us. Aren't there?" Ginny felt a shiver of fear go down her spine at the thought that she really was the only one who feared her own mind, and what it might do to her if it decided to turn against her.

Her face must have betrayed her fear, for Snape leaned in closely and looked into her eyes.

As she gazed into the stygian depths, Ginny felt her memories of the Chamber coming to the surface of her mind. She saw Tom standing above her, holding her own wand in his hand. She saw herself writing on walls in blood and so many other things in her first year that at the time she hadn't known she was doing.

She had been Tom's puppet. Though she hadn't wanted to do any of those things, she had wanted to do anything for Tom that he asked of her. She had been so weak, and all for the attention of a boy.

Ginny definitely knew that after Tom she didn't have much faith in love at all. She believed in love, she even believed in the power of love. She just didn't believe that she would either find it or deserve it.

"Please Professor," Ginny sobbed out loud, to the shock of those in the room, "Make it stop. Don't look at those terrible things I did." Her sobs increased causing the three men to share looks of confusion. "I didn't mean to do it. I tried to stop so many times. I cried so much. Haven't I done enough? Can't anyone find it in their hearts to forgive and forget what happened? I know I don't deserve their forgiveness but I'm begging you, don't make me look at it all again."

Snape had long ago pulled out of her head and sat looking at Ginny with both great compassion and understanding.

"Ginny, love," Draco rushed to her side after he recovered from his initial shock at her outburst. "Shh. Don't cry, love. No one's mad at you. That was years ago. We know Voldemort possessed you, it wasn't you. No one thinks that about you. You have to stop blaming yourself for what you had no control over."

Ginny was clinging tightly to his shirt as she buried her face into his chest. She was still sobbing, but it had quieted down. Ginny was now taking full breaths, instead of being on the edge of panic.

"Miss Weasley, I have some thoughts on all of this and I need to do some research. I do not think you are safe in Gryffindor Tower right now. I am going to speak to Professors Flitwick and McGonagall about temporarily having you stay with Miss Lovegood. Since it is very late tonight however, you shall stay in Slytherin House with Miss Parkinson."

He looked sharply to Draco, "_Only_ with Miss Parkinson. Am I understood?"

Draco twitched his eyebrows in amusement at his mentor, but nodded his agreement to his wishes.

As the three students left the office to go tell Pansy about the sleeping arrangements Blaise quipped, "He didn't say we couldn't stay with Miss Parkinson as well."

Draco pulled Ginny close and hoped she could get over her fears. He wanted to sleep tonight knowing that she was sleeping soundly as well.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Many, many thanks to the best beta there is, Rowan-Greenleaf. She is the goddess supreme and I lay myself at her feet.

I feel no shame in plugging the forum for voting on the Ginny Draws Draco Challenge prompted by Rowan-Greenleaf. As stated in Chapter 1 this story is related to stories posted in the challenge.

http: //www. fanfiction. net/forum/rowangreenleafs_Ginny_Draws_Draco_Fic_Challenge /54059/ Just delete the spaces, or better yet, go to Rowans page for the links.

Disclaimer: JKR would never claim this; I can barely claim it as mine.

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CHAPTER SIX

Ginny threw herself out of the Slytherin bed and stomped out the door. She couldn't believe that no one had given her any warning about what to expect when sleeping in the snake pit. No House loyalty, then, to the invited guest of the Head of House, the girlfriend of the Prince.

Said Prince was going on her 'list' for this one. He must have known about this little problem, having been friends with the Slytherin girl for years.

Pansy snored so loudly that Ginny had woken when it started, thinking the Hogwart's Express had routed itself through the room. Who knew such a dainty little pug nose could make that kind of noise?

Ginny went to the common room and sat in front of the fire. She had only just fallen asleep when Pansy's horrible snoring began, and she was exhausted from all of the emotional stress she had been under.

She desperately wanted sleep and didn't know where to turn. She wrapped herself in a blanket she pulled off the couch and laid a couch cushion in front of the fire for a pillow, hoping the heat would make her drowsy.

She lay on her back and tried her old standby of trying to turn off her thoughts. If she could quiet down her brain this would often help her get to sleep. She started targeting each errant thought as it came up and attempted to shut it down. Ginny was groggy from her exhaustion and she fought to catch the thought that kept trying to remind her of something Professor Snape had spoken about tonight. She became irritated at her lack of success and told herself to 'Shut it!'

Ginny turned herself towards the fire and didn't see Draco as he entered the room tousling his hair in a tired manner.

Draco couldn't believe what he was seeing. The girl he knew he was falling in love with was lying on the floor in front of the fire like some pitiful step-sister character from a fairy tale.

He strode over and silently lifted her up off the floor.

Ginny squeaked and turned her head quickly into his chin. Her eyes widened when she realised it was only Draco and that she had hurt him. In fact, there was a small trail of blood coming from his swelling bottom lip.

"Come on princess; let's get you to a proper bed."

"Draco, you're bleeding."

"It's okay. I'll wash it off in my bathroom. You're staying in my room tonight." Draco looked down at the waif-like girl in his arms, and didn't want her to be anywhere else tonight.

"But Professor Snape said-"

Draco softly cut Ginny off. "You're in the House of Slytherin. Ambition and cunning rule here. He expects us to get what we want. And tonight I want you and me to get some sleep."

Ginny couldn't help but agree with him and relaxed against him as he opened his door. He had just one candle burning at his bedside table and it gave a soft glow to the bed. The fire burning on the other side of the room was warm and also gave a soft overall glow to the room.

Draco set her on the bed as she noticed all this and went through a door on the wall to her right. Ginny heard water running and realised this was a private bath. A little spark of jealousy flared up about that fact.

How many times had she wished to share a bathroom with only one girl, instead of four and he had his own private bath? She snickered to herself that Draco probably did need it to ensure his hair was properly maintained and so that he had somewhere to keep all of those hair products she imagined that he owned.

Draco walked out of the bathroom and her mirth was instantly forgotten. His bottom lip was really swelling up though it looked like the bleeding had stopped.

"Oh Draco. I'm so sorry." Ginny felt really guilty looking at him, knowing it was her fault.

"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. You take blame for things that aren't your fault. I wish you wouldn't do that to yourself." He sat next to her on the bed and she couldn't help but twitch a little with anticipation.

Anticipation of what though?

"I know you're right Draco. It's just such a habit that I don't even know I'm doing it anymore. I guess it comes from taking the blame for the twins so many times. Let me heal that for you." Ginny touched his lip lightly with her wand and spoke a gentle healing spell. She looked up at him through her lashes and said, "All better now."

She was looking at Draco with soft eyes, and he couldn't stop himself. After their first and only kiss had instantly turned to angst, he wasn't sure if he should try again. He didn't want to scare her, or add to her stress.

"Ginny. I think I'm going to kiss you now." His eyes held hers looking for fear, or repulsion, but saw only the soft heart that was Ginny.

He put his hands along her neck and jaw, so that his thumbs lay just in front of her perfect, dainty ears. He slowly drew her towards him, giving her the chance to pull away, but she only fluttered her eyes closed and gave a soft sigh.

Her lips were like warm caramel. They were soft and sweet, with a warm firmness. It felt like he had never kissed anyone before and now he was kissing this angel. She was kissing him back with such emotion; it was as if she wanted him to read every word her lips were telling.

Draco knew he was head over heels in love with this girl. Falling was no longer the appropriate tense; he _had_ fallen, fast and hard. She gave him everything that she was, knowing that there was every chance she could get hurt by him. He didn't want to live another moment without that unfailing faith in his life.

He needed Ginny to remind him that emotions were not always a weakness. He was raised to hide them, ignore them, and deny that there were such things inside him. He didn't want to hide that bit of humanity any more.

He didn't want to become a walking teddy bear or anything…but he wanted to experience emotions with Ginny, good and bad.

As Draco was coming to this realisation Ginny was coming to one of her own. She never wanted to stop kissing Draco Malfoy.

Ginny found herself becoming a bit disoriented. She felt Draco solidly sitting next to her on the bed, yet she felt weightless. Is this what all those shameless romance novels were talking about? Was this warmth she felt in her chest that was quickly becoming a heated inferno love? Perhaps lust, she didn't have enough experience of either to figure it out.

Ginny had never done much physically with any of her boyfriends before this. If she was really honest with herself, she hadn't really wanted to.

Thinking back, she remembered she would fantasise about having sex with Harry, but she had always been too afraid. Harry had never done more than grope her a few times anyway, so she had never really bothered about it. Dean had been sweet and respectful and they hadn't dated long enough for her to consider it.

Ginny knew she was much less experienced than most girls in Gryffindor in sixth or seventh year. She was pretty sure even Hermione was shagging Ron by now, and she was a real prude. But until now Ginny hadn't considered that her lack of experience would cause her any difficulty.

Pulling herself back to awareness and pushing away her doubts, she found she had moved herself into Draco's lap and he was gripping her tightly. Instinctively Ginny was matching him lunge for lunge and stroke for stroke. She had never felt as if she was being devoured by someone and found it stimulating. Each time Draco thrust his tongue deeper she opened herself more. When Michael had shoved his tongue down her throat she had felt repulsed and would quickly bring their snogging session to an end.

Wanting more of these newfound feelings of desire she shifted herself until she was straddling Draco and she felt heady with the feeling of control that she felt. She heard a soft moan and realised it was her.

Draco had put his palms against her lower back and his touch was cool on her heated skin. Her mind was swirling and she was becoming confused by the onrush of all the new feelings she was experiencing with Draco. She knew she wanted more but this was too new and she didn't want to ruin what they had worked to develop between them.

As if sensing her thoughts Draco slowed his kisses. He began kissing her jaw and neck with slow, open kisses. He laid a hot trail to her ear and breathed out her name.

If she hadn't already convinced herself that they should slow down she definitely would have ravaged him after hearing his husky voice in her ear whispering her name.

"Yeah, okay." Ginny's voice was shaking from the jolt of what she was now sure was lust that had rocketed through her when Draco spoke her name. His hands were ghosting up and down her back but were not pushing for stronger contact.

"Maybe we should get some sleep now." Ginny felt warmth of a different kind at Draco's words. She realised he had said this to keep her from looking like a little girl who got scared. She pulled herself off of Draco's lap and settled next to him.

Draco was such a gentleman. She couldn't fathom how she had never noticed that about him. Of course, until just a short time ago he had only shown his arrogant and cold nature to her and her friends.

"You sleep in my bed Ginny, I'll take the couch." Giving her a few more pecks on her jaw and lips he rose to prepare his new bed for the night. If she hadn't known she loved him before, she was sure of it now.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:Thanks to all of you who voted for my other sories in the Ginny Draws Draco Challenge hosted by the fabulous Rowan Greenleaf.

I disclaim.

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Before entering the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, Ginny grabbed Draco by the wrist and pulled him to a stop.

"Are you sure Professor Snape isn't going to accost me about sleeping in your room last night?"

Rolling his eyes slightly and suppressing a groan, Draco replied, "Ginny, when he came in this morning he saw that you were sleeping in my bed and that I was on the couch. What reason would he have for being angry with you?"

"I know, but he seemed upset. I don't know, I thought he was disappointed or angry or something."

"You sensed emotions in Snape? You really must be a natural Legilimens." Draco had no qualms about laughing at his own joke and Ginny giggled as well. "Besides, he did apologize to you for not putting a silencing spell around Pansy's bed, so he can't really be angry at you, now can he?"

Making an effort to get beyond her fear of Snape's supposed wrath, she simply said, "Let's eat. I'm hungry."

They joined the rest of the Slytherins and Ginny sat next to Luna, who was eating with Blaise today.

"Oh Ginny, I'm so happy to hear you'll be camping out with me for a while. We can set up a tent and tell each other tales of days of yore."

Ginny knew it would yield no useful information, so she decided to forgo asking Luna if she was serious. Instead, she chose to agree with Luna's odd plans and found she was looking forward to having time to spend with her and talk.

Ginny hadn't seen Luna much lately and she thought she might find a way to discuss some of her girly issues with her.

Just as breakfast was finishing Professor Snape approached the table, and Ginny looked down at her plate nervously.

"Will the four of you please come to my office in fifteen minutes?" Snape's question was more of a demand, due to his firm delivery.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left in a billow of black.

Draco looked at Ginny knowingly. "I told you he wasn't going emo on us."

**X**

Once everyone was comfortably seated in Snape's office, he turned to Ginny. "I have discovered what we are up against, and it will be a most difficult task for you to face, Miss Weasley."

His words sent a little shiver up her spine, and Draco slid her hand into his in a sign of support. "What is it, and what do I have to do?"

"The mind has a strong magic all on its own." Snape spoke in a knowing tone that was different from his typical lecturing voice, which Ginny usually heard laced with disdain for those of the Gryffindor House. "I believe young Voldemort created a hybrid spell of sorts, and that is what he used on you. Based on what you have told me and what I 'saw' in your mind, I believe I have identified the two spells he used."

Snape's tone of voice was deep and soothing. Ginny found that, though what he was telling her was frightening, she was feeling calm and relaxed.

"The human mind has extraordinary skill in creating a vivid self-delusional state. Sometimes this is as basic as convincing oneself that something that happened didn't happen. The human instinct to shield oneself from suffering increases the strength of this talent."

Ginny wasn't sure she understood what he was getting at, but after a pause Snape continued. "We often encourage the mind to use this skill. Why does a Gryffindor rush foolishly into danger? Because they have convinced their mind that what they are doing is worthwhile. A Slytherin is in control of everything around them because in their mind they are assured of their superiority. These are examples of the basic nature of the power of the mind, and what we need to focus on. We need to ascertain what triggered this spell." Snape spoke in a quick tone that snapped Ginny out of her daze.

She looked to her Potions professor and saw that he was watching her intently.

Ginny felt as if something buried deep in her mind was crawling to the surface. She felt disconcerted, and opened her mouth to ask him what was happening. Before she could, he spoke again.

"Miss Weasley, what has changed in the last few months in your life? I believe this spell was triggered by something around the time that you started fazing out during your artistic endeavours."

Ginny knew what he was referring to, but was afraid of telling him. If her relationship with Draco was causing this, then she couldn't bear the thought. She didn't want to be away from him.

Caught up in her fearful thoughts, she didn't notice when Snape entered her mind. The teacher was watching her reactions intently; for his plan to work he needed to ensure that his entry into her mind was not noticed.

Ginny was thinking of how much she loved Draco, how much he had brought to her life in just this short time. She was the same Ginny as when they had started, but she was stronger. She was stronger in her confidence in just being who and what she was. She accepted Draco, the good and the bad, and knew that he felt the same for her. That gave her a self-confidence she had never experienced before. She didn't want to lose _that_ Ginny, and she definitely didn't want to lose Draco.

"Do not fear Miss Weasley, you will not lose Mr. Malfoy. I believe I know the exact nature of the curse Tom placed upon you." In relief, Ginny squeezed Draco's hand, realising only then that she was still holding it.

"Tom Riddle needed you for varying purposes when he took you to the Chamber. One of the things he wanted from you was your strength of character. You are the only female child in a house over burdened by testosterone. Your many brothers have influenced you to become comfortable in being aggressive in situations where females are usually docile."

Ginny wanted to protest but realising Snape was correct, kept silent.

"I believe some of that bravado was lost when you started Hogwart's and fell under the trap of Tom Riddle's diary. When he realised that he was losing his battle to obtain your soul, he implanted this curse in you."

The room around them had become heavy with his explanation and the memories of Ginny's time in the Chamber, a grave reminder that she had almost died while trapped below the castle.

The four students were spellbound by the professor's speech and sat silently. The older wizard sent a wordless spell towards Ginny and Draco on their couch and was pleased to see a pale pink rune glow briefly above their heads.

Snape continued speaking softly, pacing around the room without distracting from his lecture. "If young Voldemort couldn't have the strength within you, he wanted to make sure that no one else could have it." He picked up a small glass jar off a table.

"You still have your spirit, your inner strength, and passion, but he wanted to ensure that you never shared those things with anyone else. In a way, he had become enamoured of you during your interactions with his diary. He didn't want you to open yourself to anyone else in that way. He was a jealous and bitter boy when you met him, Miss Weasley, and he was vindictive."

In Ginny's heart and mind she knew that every word the professor was saying was true, but she felt the urge to protest. "Tom loved me; he was my only friend that year. Why would he do this to me?"

Ginny's interruption caused the other students to shake their heads slightly as if they were beginning to wake up from a dream.

"Ah, but Miss Weasley, what did he do with that love? He used it to achieve his own means." He spoke in deep, soothing tones so as to calm her irritation. The potions professor had opened the jar and was taking out pinches of the shimmering mauve powder inside and was sprinkling it into the brightly burning fireplace.

"Tom forced you to do harmful things to others, and tried to use your soul for his own purposes. Would any of the three people sitting with you now do those things to you?" His words were strong, but said with silky smooth warmth that again relaxed Ginny.

She felt herself lean into Draco unconsciously and take a deep relaxing breath.

Snape had to manoeuvre very carefully or the intricate spell he was now casting would fail. He moved behind Ginny on the couch, and sprinkled the powder over the students who had become hypnotised during all of this. The room smelled of a deep, musky smell that seemed to make them slightly drowsy.

"Do you think that Draco, Luna or Blaise would ever try to make you feel worthless? Would they use you to gain power? Would they abuse your own power?" Snape purposefully used their given names to personalise his inquiry.

"Tell me Miss Weasley, do you want to keep Tom in your life? Do you still desire his friendship? Will you open yourself to him? Will you invite him into your new circle of friends?" With each question Snape waved his wand over her head in a complicated flick, and sprinkled the powder on her head. The room was now slightly hazy and resembled the Divinations classroom, with the heavy scent and smoke.

Ginny's mind was turbulent though her body was completely relaxed. She was feeling totally content in her physical body snuggled next to Draco, but there was a voice shouting inside her mind. This was not the inner voice she spoke of that the three Slytherins had teased her for last night. This was Tom's voice, and now she realised what had been happening to her.

Scenes and memories of her life since Tom's possession were flashing through her mind. She saw how her guilt had undermined her self-confidence, made her doubt herself and people's acceptance of her at every turn.

She saw how her fear of opening herself to anyone had kept her from enjoying people's company for the last five or six years. How Michael, Dean, or Harry had tolerated her at all she didn't know.

Then there was Draco; she didn't want to shut him out. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. He had gone beyond her fear; he had pushed through her unwillingness to accept him in any kind of intimate manner. He had waited over a month just to kiss her for the first time. She knew that was quite a feat for a hormone driven wizard.

What had Tom ever done for her? Torture, possession, and now he had cursed her so that she could never experience love with another, because the spell wouldn't let her.

Tom had not shown her any friendship or affection at all. He had tried to kill her; how could she have convinced herself otherwise for all these years? But with Professor Snape's questions poking into her confusion, Ginny could see that _she_ had not convinced herself.

_He_ had cursed her. His spell used her own mind's power of conviction against her, it convinced her heart that Tom was the only one who could know and love her. Ginny wanted to break that spell.

Snape had been watching her eyes carefully. He knew when it was safe to enter her mind again, without triggering Tom's spell to defend itself, closing her off again for good. He could clearly see that the girl had almost won the battle, but he could do no more with powders and spells. It was up to her now; her mind had to overcome the programming of the spell.

Because the heart and mind were so intimately intertwined in the actions of this spell, Snape knew he had to do something to prompt both parts of her into the necessary step to win over the curse.

"Ginevra, what is it that is worth living for?"

At the sound of her name, Ginny's senses and awareness were returned to her in full capacity. She felt Luna and Blaise's warmth and affection from the opposite couch they were sitting on. She felt Draco's hand in hers, his warmth surrounding her, his love and affection radiating off of him in waves.

She reached out for Draco's heart with the invisible tendrils from her own. Somewhere in the middle they intertwined and she knew what the all-important answer was.

"True love."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hufflepuffs are good. They are loyal, friendly and easy to talk to. They are like a faithful dog, just sitting at your feet looking at you with puppy eyes and waiting for a Scooby snack. Everyone needs a loving, loyal Hufflepuff in their life. If Cedric had lived he would have kicked Harry's- um, anyway...

Sit. Beg. Roll over. Fetch me my wand. Good Puffle.

I disclaim. Don't really want to own Harry Potter. Draco is a different story.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

Ginny's body became rigid, and she screamed incoherently from the pain shooting through her mind. Her screams brought the other three from their trance, and Draco pulled her into his lap.

After a few moments the screams stopped, and she fell limp in Draco's arms, unconscious.

"Uncle Severus! What is wrong with Ginny? What's happening? Is she okay?" Draco's fear was evident, and Snape couldn't help but smile at him.

Deep in the cockles of his heart he felt a warm glow. He had never seen his godson expressing positive emotions towards another person.

The three students looked at him in shock. Was that an actual smile? What had happened in the now hazy and smelly room?

"Is that essence of farvenswaggle I smell?" Luna's question to the Potions Master brought everyone back to focus.

The intense silence immediately following the bizarre question was interrupted by Ginny's giggle.

Draco clutched Ginny to his chest tightly, until she couldn't breathe. "Need. Air." she wheezed.

Draco loosened his grip but spoke in mock severity, "You have some explaining to do."

"Oi. Leave off mate; give her a bit of rest. What I want to know is why Trelawney is polyjuiced up as our Head of House?" Blaise flashed his winning grin at Snape, and quirked his eyebrow in the typical Slytherin 'What do you have to say for yourself?' look.

Draco, now distracted from questioning Ginny on all that had just happened, seemed to take an interest in interrogating his godfather instead. "Yes Uncle Severus, it might appear to someone who didn't know you so well, that your inner Hufflepuff was coming out."

Snape refused to rise to the boys baiting. Giving them a glare, he instead chose to explain what he had done.

He glanced to Ginny to see how she was doing, and was satisfied to see her sitting relaxed and curled up in Draco's lap like a lazy kitten. He thought he could hear a bit of a purr from his place by the fire.

"Tom Riddle, even as a young man, was a master of Unforgivable curse. He phased the _Imperius_ curse with a spell that would activate it based on a specified situation coming about."

The students were stupefied to learn that Ginny had been under the influence of an Unforgivable for over five years.

"When young Voldemort possessed Ginny in her first year, he left a small piece of that memory in her. He tied that piece to the _Imperius_, and used this connection to convince Ginny's mind that she was unworthy of giving or receiving love from anyone other than himself.

I used a powdered derivative of a potion I custom brewed with the ability to cause a state of hypnosis to allow me to enter Ginevra's mind without alerting the spell. Her mind was fooled into thinking I was merely talking to her as I was weakening the spells' links."

"But Professor Snape, I've had boyfriends before Draco. What was different that caused this spell to activate?" Ginny wasn't sure if she should have asked that in front of Draco.

What if he took it the wrong way?

"It seems rather obvious, even a Gryffindor might grasp the significant difference between your relationship with Draco and say, Mr. Potter." His words were condescending but held no malice.

Ginny realised this was Snape being sarcastic; his humour was dry enough to soak up even the deepest ocean.

Ginny found she enjoyed his wit quite a bit. The House of Slytherin was a complicated and intriguing species altogether, and she was glad she had been welcomed into the fold.

"I think it was habit after a while to be infatuated with Harry. It's easy not to be rejected by many when you choose to be infatuated and oblivious with just one. It really wasn't until last year that I realised I did not romantically love Harry."

Her openly speaking of her feelings for the Boy-Who-Lived sparked bitterness in Draco, but he refused to show it to the group.

Ginny gave an outwardly imperceptible squeeze to Draco's hand at her admission. She knew he would feel resentment at the mention of Harry, but would definitely not wish for open reassurance from her. He could not allow himself to appear weak or needy, but would allow Ginny to share her support in subtle ways.

Draco found himself contemplating the many small things that endeared him to Ginny so much. She seemed to understand his needs and moods without question. She didn't get emotional over the fact that he was not overly affectionate in public. She accepted his façade, and did not try to force him to alter it to suit her desires. Ginny knew what he needed and how to give it without damage to his ego.

Ginny's next words were the ones to confirm his greatest fear that also turned out to be his greatest desire.

"So you mean that my finding true love activated the spell?" Ginny was blushing and the heat radiating from her face was warming Draco's shoulder where she was still laying against him. Draco saw Blaise twitch and try to hide his impish grin at her words.

Draco shot him a look promising great pain if Blaise chose to tease the two new lovers.

"Yes, Miss Weasley. Unfortunately for Tom Riddle, he did not understand the nature of love." There was almost a sound of pity in Snape's words. "While your falling in love activated his altered _Imperius_ and caused it to increase its intensity of manipulating your mind, it did not take into account the fact that your strength of heart and mind was one of his reasons for wanting your soul in the first place."

"So how did this manifest into the physical world? The three of us saw the snake form that day in the corridor." Draco was confused as to why and how this was done to Ginny for the sake of stopping her love.

"I believe Tom Riddle underestimated two things in his spell casting on Ginevra," Snape answered thoughtfully. "He did not take into account that her great strength of mind would cause her fear to escalate to such a level that she was creating a semi-corporeal form of her greatest fear. When this happened it pushed the experience into the open. It exposed him to others and was freed from the confines of her mind."

"So you're deathly afraid of snakes Ginny?" Blaise did not seem convinced by this explanation.

She didn't seem like the squeamish type to him. Though most would deny that a Slytherin quality was bravery, he knew they had their own sort of bravery; there were certain things that they were able to face up to without flinching. Blaise felt Ginny was really more of a Slytherin than a Gryffindor on most days.

"No," Ginny said simply. "It was Tom."

It seemed blatantly obvious to the students that they should have realised this at once; Ginny's demon snake spirit had been Voldemort.

Having been friends with Ginny for many years Luna knew how the girl felt about her time in the Chamber and all the things that had happened. Sympathising with how Ginny must be feeling she felt her heart going out to her best friend. "What was the second mistake he made, sir?"

"He underestimated the power of his activation key. The same force that brought his spell to the forefront was the same force that destroyed it," the Potions Master explained. "Tom Riddle didn't understand that his spell manipulated and controlled two aspects of Ginevra's inner being. He had possessed the mind of an eleven year old girl, but could not overtake the purity of heart within the young woman sitting here now."

"Well, no offence to our lovely Gryffindor Princess," Blaise made sure to keep his tone humorous so as not to anger the redhead, "but what is this magical force that outsmarted the Darkest Wizard of our time?"

Draco leaned down and whispered into Ginny's ear while subtly pulling her closer against him, "True love."


	9. Chapter 9

Merry Christmas to all. May you have a Christmas as happy as Ginny's.

A/N: I disclaim.

* * *

CHAPTER NINE

"Yes, Ron. I will be just fine here in the castle. Plenty of people are staying this holiday and I need to catch up on my classes. I really fell behind in my work and the teachers have given me some make-up work, so I have to stay." Ginny loved her brother Ron but sometimes he just wouldn't give up. "Give mum a big hug for me. I'll be seeing you soon."

"Alright Ginny," Ron said reluctantly. "But if that slimy snake tries anything with you…"

"Ronald. Leave Ginny alone. The train is leaving." Thank the gods that Hermione had nagging down to an art.

The bushy haired girl gave Ginny a wink as they got on the train and Ginny gave a nod of thanks. As soon as the train was out of sight she turned and ran all the way back to the castle.

Gryffindor Tower was quiet and Ginny welcomed the time she had alone to take a long bath and pamper herself. She really did have a lot of work to do, but she also had a lot of things to work out with Draco. Up until now there hadn't been much peace or quiet around for her to properly think about where they were going.

They had been dating for over three months and Draco had never pushed her to go farther than she was ready. He never forced her to do things she was not prepared to, physically or emotionally. Of course, he was not one to push emotions to the forefront, but Ginny was sure his physical needs were driving him mad.

She could admit to herself that she wanted to have sex with Draco. She had for a while, but she didn't know how to prepare herself for that next step. For some girls in her dorms sex was just a physical activity, but for Ginny it was an intimate thing to only be shared by two people who were in a serious relationship.

She and Draco had talked about love, but not really about making love.

Ginny had been snogging Draco less these last ten days or so because she didn't want to stop at some of the activities they'd been doing. It was like teasing her senses and she was feeling frustrated.

She recalled a few weeks ago when she had tried doing more for Draco in the Astronomy Tower. They were in the middle of a heavy snogging session and she decided to make use of her Gryffindor bravery.

Draco had been unconsciously grinding his erection into her thigh and she reached down shyly and began rubbing him through his slacks.

Ginny had never seen, much less held, a man in an intimate manner before but was feeling bolder. After a short time of stroking Draco with her hands she wanted to do more for him. She bent down towards his hardened shaft and proceeded to try another new technique.

Draco had helped her a little by letting her know what felt good and what didn't feel so good. Ginny figured he must have enjoyed it though, because his commentary had stopped after a while and she heard only his heavy breathing.

He had suddenly pulled out of her mouth and told her she wasn't ready for the rest of it. A few strokes later, he was finished, and Ginny felt that somehow she had been cheated.

The darkness of the night had helped to hide her embarrassment as he released himself in his hand. She didn't really understand what she was feeling at the time so she didn't say anything to Draco about her disappointment.

Ginny contemplated that though it had been an odd experience at the beginning she had enjoyed giving him pleasure. That feeling of happiness overrode any awkwardness of her first time using her mouth for something other than kissing Draco.

She made up her mind; she wanted that something more and she would get it during the hols.

As Ginny reclined and let the hot, scented water relax her she thought of what she could do. A Slytherin worthy smirk crossed her lips as she formulated her plot. This would be a Christmas to remember.

**X**

That first night alone Ginny stayed up late and finished off almost all of her homework. She slept in late the next day, snuck to the kitchens for food, and then went back to the tower to finish her work. By dinner that night she had finished all of her assignments, and was ready to give the rest of her holiday time to Draco.

After a restful night's sleep Ginny entered the Great Hall for breakfast and saw Draco alone at the Slytherin table. She felt a small constriction inside missing Blaise and Luna who would have normally been there.

Her mood lifted and she laughed to herself seeing Draco sitting aloof with head held high as if his royal subjects were wise to keep their distance. No one should approach royalty without an invitation. He could be such a snob.

Looking around she noticed that the few students up at this hour were sitting at the usual Ravenclaw table but seemed mostly sleepy and withdrawn. She couldn't really blame him for sitting apart from the rag tag group.

Sitting next to him and giving him a peck on the cheek she quipped "Aren't we the lonely one?"

Draco glanced at her from the corner of his eye and drawled "I wasn't sure if I was going to be alone for the hols since you never showed up for any meals 'til now. I thought maybe Ron had talked you into going back to the Burrow."

Ginny felt warmth spread in her heart that Draco seemed genuinely relieved to see her after mistakenly thinking she had gone home. She was also happy that he was now calling her brother by his given name rather than all the nicknames given over the years. Ron may not have accepted Draco as her boyfriend yet, but Draco was sincerely making the effort to be at least civil towards her family.

Ginny reached over and gave his thigh a small squeeze. "No one can talk me out of this chance to spend my holidays with you."

His stormy grey eyes registered a little surprise at her show of affection, but he said nothing.

"I locked myself in the tower to finish off all my work so that I could fully devote myself to being with you." Another squeeze that was a little more forceful and Draco was wondering what had gotten into his girlfriend.

"Did that work entail making any love potions?" He smirked at her as if daring her to deny her forward actions.

"Oh, I don't need any potion to make me more aware of what I feel for you. Do you need one to allow yourself to be with me?" She hoped she was conveying a deeper meaning without being too obvious. She didn't want to seem desperate, but wanted to give subtle signs that she was looking for more.

"Love, any potion to enhance what we have between us will no doubt lead to a 'Longbottom'."

Ginny giggled over what Professor Snape had revealed was his private term for any explosion in the Potions lab.

"Good to know." Giving Draco another kiss on the cheek, lingering just longer than the usual, she reached for some food.

Luna had owled Ginny and told her what a great time she was having with Blaise in Antarctica. Her father was due to arrive the next day and he was bringing the necessary equipment to trap the rare creature they were searching for.

Blaise added a note at the bottom to Draco thanking him for the early Christmas present of the Amazon tent. It had a chamber inside that was hot and steamy like the jungle it was named after.

He and Luna had already found many amazing 'creatures' inside the tent and they had hardly ventured out into the snowy landscape yet.

There was more from Blaise to Draco but he had spelled it so only Draco could read it and Draco refused to tell her what it said after she saw him quirk his lip in amusement. She was sure torturing him with tickles would get the truth out of him later.

The next few days they spent playing in the snow, flying when the sun was out and the snow wasn't falling, and just enjoying their time without worries of school and interruptions.

At night they snuggled in front of the fire in his room and talked and snogged late into the night. Ginny was having a difficult time keeping to her plan when they kissed, but she held to it. She knew she was giving Draco some mixed signals and she was sure he was going to start asking questions soon, but it had to be done.

On Christmas Eve they asked the House Elves to deliver dinner to Draco's room and they had a formal dinner.

Ginny wore a dress she had purchased in Hogsmeade on the last visit there while she had Blaise distract Draco in the Quidditch shop. It was made of deep emerald green velvet that was cut in a demure, yet sexy style that showcased her delicate curves.

Draco's loud swallow when she removed her cloak upon arrival alerted her to the fact that he appreciated how it looked on her.

The plot was playing out just as she had planned. "Do you approve?" she asked, her voice sounding oddly husky to herself. "Of the colour, I mean."

Draco snapped his eyes to hers and spoke softly, "I approve wholeheartedly."

Ginny felt a shiver that she knew wasn't due to the chill of the dungeons. She found herself approving of his choice in formal wear as well.

Draco looked elegant in his smoky grey silk shirt. It had a slight sheen to it so that it resembled his eyes when he was expressing some strong emotion. It was cut in a tunic style that had it hanging long and smooth and it shimmered slightly when he moved.

His pants were black of course, but the material was a silk-wool blend that made them look warm, smooth and comfortable. Ginny found herself longing to run her hands over them so she could experience just how soft and smooth they really felt. That would happen later if her plan continued to work.

After dinner they sat by the fire and Draco offered her champagne for the occasion.

"Draco, I'm not much of a drinker and wine doesn't really agree with me." Ginny felt a little embarrassed to seem so unrefined.

"Good." Draco seemed relieved at her admission and was not derisive about her lack of sophistication, as he once would have been. "I hate the stuff. I'll give you something I think you'll like."

He went to the wet bar concealed in his bookshelf and came back with a small bottle and two small glasses. "This is a muggle liqueur called Irish Cream."

Ginny wasn't shocked at this revelation. She had become used to the little Muggleisms he sometimes revealed. He was open enough to admit in some rare cases he found Muggles were superior to wizards.

"It's not too strong and it's smooth and sweet. I'll put it on ice for you so it won't be too harsh."

Ginny took a careful sip and was delighted by its warm, sweet taste.

"Mmm. That's yummy. You'd better not give me too much, though- I might think you're trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me." Ginny held out her empty glass for another drink and Draco lifted one sculpted brow in question.

"And is there an advantage to being too pissed to remember what would be the greatest event in your life?" His silver eyes shone with mischief and a deeper layer of desire forming underneath.

His smirk towards Ginny as he filled her glass again was just begging her to challenge him with innuendo tonight. She knew her plan was fated to play out tonight just as she had been designing for the last week.

Ginny slowly licked the sweet liqueur on her lips and looked Draco up and down languidly as she slid her hand up his thigh, "I want to remember this night for the rest of my life."

The drink had relaxed Ginny just enough to give her a little confidence in pulling this off. Ginny knew Draco was experienced and that if she botched this up too badly he was sure to know. She wanted to seduce him, yes, but she wanted it to be a mutual decision.

Ginny set her now empty glass down on the table and turned back to fully face Draco. He was watching her intently as if trying to figure out if all of this meant what he was hoping it meant.

"Happy Christmas, Dragon." Ginny pulled Draco in for a drugging kiss.

After a few minutes he pulled back for air and looked at Ginny with eyes hazy with lust. "Ginny…" His voice was husky and Ginny was thinking of what to do to show him what she wanted without seeming too forward.

"Draco. I want to talk to you about something before we kiss anymore."

Draco felt dread drop on him like a bucket of cold water. Ginny had been so odd about snogging lately. Not too long ago she had been opening up in her physical relations with him; but in this last week she seemed to pull back when things got a little hot. Did she want to break up with him? Was there someone else? She said she wanted to remember this night forever, did she mean their last night together?

"We've been together for a while now. I love you and I know you love me, so I want to talk about this now. Because if we start kissing then I'll forget everything and then we'll be back where we started."

Draco was feeling more scared and confused as she went on. Where was she heading with all of this? His stomach was clenching and he wished he had brought out a bottle of Firewhiskey as well.

Looking at Draco Ginny knew she wasn't doing very well at this. "I want to show you how much I love you but I'm not sure how." Draco looked slightly relieved but still confused and he was wondering if he should have stopped Ginny at one glass of alcohol.

Ginny had been giving mixed signals about their physical relationship recently and he didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready. He really wanted this with Ginny; he wanted to have more with her and was hoping that the direction they seemed to be heading tonight was towards the fulfilment of that desire.

Ginny took a deep breath and tried again to explain her intentions.

"Oh dear. You see, it's what happens when you mix all the ingredients together and how you do it that makes the potion. If you do the wrong move, or add one ingredient too soon, or don't add enough of another ingredient that it spoils the whole brew. And I don't want to spoil our potion."

Looking to her personal Slytherin Prince again she saw his face devoid of expression and thought she had blown the whole plan. "Oh bugger it all."

Ginny flung herself with full force onto Draco pushing him over on the small couch and they rolled onto the floor with Draco on top. She was kissing him fiercely as if her life depended on it and he was kissing her back glad for her confusing conversation to be over. But her words were running through the back of his mind. She seemed to be clutching at him as if needing something more than what he was giving her. Suddenly it all clicked.

"Ginny, love. Slow down." Draco was grasping for air as he rolled to her side. "Do you want to make a potion tonight?" He felt silly for asking her such a question, but he didn't want to push her away by being too blunt. It was the kind of thing to say that Ginny would relate to and not use against him.

Ginny looked up with shiny eyes and touched his cheek softly. "Yes Draco, I do. But it's all theory for me, I've no practical experience. We've done enough stuff that I understand what the mechanics are," Ginny's blush rivalled an eggplant for depth of shade at her confession. "But I don't know all the steps and I don't want to ruin it for you."

"Gin, love. This potion isn't for me, it's for us. This isn't something that one of us will make for the other; we have to be partners for this one to work." Draco cupped his hands to Ginny's cheeks caressing them softly with his thumbs. "And besides, I haven't made this particular potion myself that many times, so I'm pretty sure we can practice together with no worries on proper technique."

Despite their decision they spent the next hour snogging in front of the fireplace contentedly. They had another shot of liqueur and sat silently in each other's arms on the couch.

As if in silent agreement they both turned to each other and brought their lips in for a firm but chaste kiss. Ginny reached behind her back and began to unzip her dress. Draco seemed mesmerized by the redhead's movement and only when Ginny slightly nudged him with her elbow as she began to push the straps down did he snap back into focus.

"Let me do that for you. This is my Christmas gift to unwrap." Draco's words were like deep velvet rubbing on silk; warm, thick and luxurious.

Ginny felt her face flush with heat and she trembled a little bit in expectation. She looked up to the blond bangs hanging slightly in his eyes and reached up to move them out of his face.

Suddenly Draco jerked his head up to face her and Ginny gasped. His dilated pupils were like obsidian pools in his silver eyes. The silver had brightened to a shiny lustre that resembled liquid mercury. His lips were on hers in an instant and Ginny lost all control of her senses.

Ginny felt like she was drowning in her inflamed desire. It was as if their hour of snogging while knowing what they would later do had built a bed of hot embers that were now igniting into flame. She was on fire with lust; she understood now that she had never felt pure lust before.

Ginny had been imagining sex with Draco for months, but there had been no experience for her to base real lust on. Now she couldn't stop herself from doing this even if she wanted to. She was aching with need and they were still only kissing; albeit kissing half naked now as Draco had disrobed her and she was in only her silver and black silk teddy.

Ginny reached for the bottom of his tunic and began to tug at it. They paused in their kissing just long enough to pull it over his head. He kissed down the column of her graceful neck with a trail of hot and wet open-mouthed kisses. As Ginny unbuttoned his shirt Draco nibbled at her earlobe and alternated kissing wetly on her neck, then gently blowing cool air on her moistened skin, causing her to shiver as goose bumps formed on her skin.

Draco placed his mouth over one of her nipples, still encased in silk, and circled it firmly with his tongue. Ginny couldn't help but moan at the feeling. Feeling the wet through the silk made her immediately oversensitive, and she thought she might burst from the intensity of the touch.

"Harder."

Merlin, was that her voice moaning so huskily? Ginny was losing herself in the fiery experience that was Draco's mouth on her breasts.

In response to her plea Draco lightly nipped her with his teeth and she quivered. All the romance novels she'd read came to life as she realised what a _quiver_ actually felt like.

"Draco, more."

Her teddy was gone now and she was groping in search of the fastenings of his pants. Ginny fumbled with his belt and managed to loosen it and grasped for his zipper. Draco could feel the both of them spiralling out of control and knew they needed to slow just a bit or he wouldn't make it to the full act.

He distracted Ginny by pulling her finger into his mouth. He licked around her fingertip coating it wetly with his saliva. She was looking deep into his eyes waiting for his next move. He took her moistened tip and placed it on her own nipple. He moved it around the perimeter in a firm circular motion causing it to harden up to an almost painful point. With his other hand he pinched and teased her other nipple.

The feel of her own wet finger giving her this pleasure while being held in his hand was making Ginny anxious with sexual tension. He was teasing her to the point where she was ready to just throw him on the bed and try anything to help her relieve this feeling growing within her.

As if reading her mind Draco picked Ginny up and carried her to his bed. He lay her down and removed his remaining clothes. Ginny had seen Draco before but it had been different.

She had been pleasing him orally and he had never been fully naked with the intent of having sex with her. She swallowed nervously as her anxiety over their upcoming act started to outweigh her unbridled passion of just a few moments before.

Draco lay next to her and stroked her freckled cheek with his fingers softly. "We don't have to do this, Ginny. You can stop any time." He was looking her intently in the eye with sincere emotion showing for once clearly in his face. "I don't want to stop, ever. But just say the word 'stop' clearly and I'll leave it."

His sincere and honest words made Ginny certain that she did want to share this part of herself with him. She swallowed past her nervousness and held his striking face in her hands. "Draco, I want to be with you in all ways. I want to be with you always. I trust you to honour what I am offering to you."

Draco looked at the goddess in his arms and knew this was the woman he wanted to spend his life with.

They were kissing passionately again but now there was a purpose and rhythm to it that had been all wild abandon before. Draco explored her naked form with his fingers and hands and she did the same for him. This was the first time they had both been naked to each other both physically and emotionally.

Ginny stroked over the hard planes of his chiselled torso. Remembering his actions to her a few minutes ago she gave a twist to his nipples and lightly scraped her nails over his chest. The low moan that escaped Draco made her more excited than the actual fondling of his flesh.

Draco was amazed at how easy it was to expose himself to Ginny without thoughts of possible rejection or condescension. He had never kept his mask down for this long for anyone. He felt nervous, yet relieved of a heavy weight at the same time. He was lost in his love of Ginny and his physical desire was coming to a critical point again.

"Ginny. I need to be inside you. Are you ready?" He hoped she said yes, he was getting desperate and Malfoy's don't do desperate.

She looked at him with apprehension mixed with trust.

"I'm ready Draco. I don't want to wait anymore; just do it."

Draco tried his best to ease his way in without hurting her but knew it couldn't be helped. He fumbled awkwardly a little trying to go slowly until he realised that was causing her more discomfort so he just lunged forward while holding her face in his hands watching her eyes; chocolate with flecks of gold in them.

Ginny's sudden gasp made him jerk a little and she closed her eyes as tears slipped out of her closed lids.

"Shush. It's okay love. I'm sorry. It's over now." Draco murmured soft words in her ears while she adjusted to him. After a few long moments he started moving as slowly as he could. Now that he was inside her he couldn't stop himself. The instinct to thrust was too strong, he could only contain himself enough to try and go slowly.

"Draco. It's… it's okay. It doesn't hurt so much now." The tears had stopped and her voice was a little shaky but Ginny had managed to relax herself a little at his sweet words in her ear.

Draco's movements were speeding up and he knew that his hormones wouldn't allow him to hold back as long as he would like to. Ginny felt too good and he was too full of want for her to last long. He'd been waiting too long. And though it wasn't the best, being her first time, just the feeling of sharing all of him with all of her felt so good.

He lifted Ginny's hips a little and the shift allowed her a little more comfort and unfortunately for him, more pleasure.

"Ginny." It was practically a grunt escaping him. He was a little chagrined at his loss of control in this situation. "I don't think I'm going to last much longer."

Ginny didn't have any reference so she wasn't disappointed. Her discomfort was still present enough that she couldn't truly say she was feeling much pleasure.

But then Draco reached down between their joining and began to rub her firmly but carefully.

"Oohhh. That feels good." Ginny could feel her core relaxing and warming up as his fingers rubbed her.

He began to speed up and move more jerkily. She was feeling more comfortable and warmly aroused, but in contrast Draco's face was strained and his forehead was shiny with sweat.

Ginny couldn't help but just stare at Draco as he approached his climax. His face was etched with concentration and he had stopped rubbing her as he began to lose his control.

Draco looked into her eyes and Ginny was shocked to see a blaze of emotions in his eyes. He seemed to be feeling so many things at once. Suddenly he seemed to freeze then groaned deeply as he thrust spastically a few times and Ginny felt a rush of fluid shoot into her.

"Unh. Ginny. Gods you're too beautiful." He was trembling as he collapsed over her and rolled to his side keeping, her next to him as he did.

She could feel him throbbing inside her in the aftermath of his throes of passion. He was holding her tightly and made no signs of releasing her anytime soon.

Ginny felt a little confused over what they had just done. It was painful and awkward as she had expected, but there were definitely parts that she wanted to try again. She suspected that after a little practice she would find pleasure in things that this time had only been mildly pleasant.

She looked at Draco next to her as he brought his breathing back to a normal rate and smiled. She found that though her first time had not been mind blowing, she was blissful just in the knowledge that she and Draco had shared themselves openly with each other.

Great sex would come soon enough. Now that they had started down this path Ginny didn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

**X**

The lake in Spring time was a beautiful sight in the soft rays of the late sun that lazy Sunday afternoon. Ginny, Draco, Blaise and Luna had eaten a late lunch and sat speaking of the future plans for the boys, who would be graduating in a few months.

Blaise and Draco were to enter into their family businesses and the girls would finish out their seventh year. Ginny had been offered the chance to mentor students who were interested in studying art and Luna would focus on her Magical Creatures studies in preparation for her world tour exploratory planned after graduation.

None of them were sad but they avoided specifically mentioning that they would be separated for a year from those they had grown so close to in the last nine months. The two couples sat in silence as the sun went down and silently separated to spend precious time in their pairs while they could.

As they watched the sunset and Ginny admired the way Draco's platinum locks seemed to absorb the pinkish-reds of the setting star. She tried not to think that she wouldn't be able to witness that again anytime soon and ran her fingers through his silken hair.

Seeming to sense her melancholy Draco took her by the hand and pulled her to her feet. He gave her a quick hug and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her tightly to him and started to walk in a content silence.

As they walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest they heard loud voices. Just as they were going to see if someone needed help they heard Luna's voice proclaiming, "Nargles be gone! Cease and desist in your invasion of my boyfriend!"

Ginny looked to Draco unsure on if they should go to them when they heard the distinct sound of a tree branch thudding on something solid and soft. "Luna, they're still here. Hit them again."

Blaise's pleas were definitely not of distress and Ginny quickly drug Draco away from the odd couples mating rituals and back towards the castle before he could get any ideas.


	10. Epilogue

A/N: It's over and I have Rowan to thank not only for her patient beta work, but for her endless support. She's the mummy-beta to so many, and inspires all who meet her with her enthusiasm and affability. She is richly deserving of all her nominations she has received for the Quibbler awards.

I disclaim.

EPILOGUE

Ginny tilts her head to the side, trying to ease the crick in her neck from sitting so long in one position. Whenever she paints the hours seem to pass without her realising it. She gazes out the window of the gallery, watching the last of the late evening shoppers in Diagon Alley as they scurry home.

She sighs as she realises how late it is and that she hasn't seen or spoken to Draco since early this morning. He will be home late tonight due to a meeting and she is in no hurry to get home if he isn't there yet. She picks up the sketchpad she has been painting from and starts to leaf through the pages.

The first sketch, done almost four years ago, was one that always caused her a little tremor. At the time she had made the drawing the tremor had been fear based. But now that tremor was based on her happiness at what that drawing had brought about in her life. The little girl holding her doll in fear was a little girl no longer. The little dragon doll had become her real life Dragon.

Draco had asked her permission many times to use that image of the little girl holding her dragon doll so tightly as a tattoo for him, but she always declined. She wasn't sure that she wanted to see that forlorn little girl on his back for the rest of her life. She hoped that someday she might draw a more mature version of herself showing how much she loved him and relied upon his strength.

The next few sketches show how things progressed over the months after what she likes to call 'The Release'. She had gotten rid of the vestiges of Tom Riddle that fateful day, and she had never looked back.

Ginny knew that if it had not been for Draco she might still be trapped. She had been so close to lost when Draco found her that Ginny knew she might have gone mad if not for him coming into her life.

The sketch of Professor Snape, or Uncle Severus as she now calls him, makes her giggle.

_Luna marched up to his desk in class and placed a jar in front of him. When the Potions Master raised his eyebrow in inquiry she simply stated, "That's the Glargenshmieck blood I told you about. Now you can bottle fame much easier." Luna spoke as if she were discussing what she might be having for lunch later. "It also works well as an aphrodisiac enhancement, in case you weren't already aware of that fact." _

_Ginny was having a difficult time holding back her snort of laughter, and most of the class had quickly become very interested in their notes, as Luna went back to her seat grinning happily. She turned to Ginny and gave a wink. _

_That night Ginny served detention with Luna and they happily cleaned cauldrons and giggled as Snape glared at them both without speaking the entire two hours. _

_When she went back to her dorm later that night, she sketched the look of bewilderment mixed with what Ginny judged to be secret shame that had been upon Snape's face when Luna announced the _special_ quality of the creature's blood she had presented him with earlier in the day._

A few sketches later and Ginny has tears in her eyes; that Christmas holiday in her sixth year was the best one she ever had.

Smiling vaguely, she recollects how that first time had been awkward- yet _magical_, for lack of better terminology. Their second time, later that night, was the first of many 'Longbottoms' in that particular potion; that night she and Draco had begun using the 'Longbottom' Snapeism- once used by the Potions Master to describe the inevitable explosions that would happen in the Potions lab when Neville would be working.

She giggles to herself thinking of what Uncle Severus might do if he discovered his Snapeism was being used for sexual innuendo for the explosive climaxes that were often shared between her and Draco.

The next sketch was done later that spring, on the day that she and Draco had met Blaise and Luna by the lake, and they had spent the afternoon talking about their plans for the future.

The sun hanging low in the horizon had cast shadows upon the group, shadows that reflected the sombre thoughts of being apart from their partners for a whole year. The shading of the setting sun gave that piece a particularly solemn feeling.

Ginny recalls the events that happened in that year and reflects at how well the Slytherins had done at keeping their plans.

During that year Blaise, and therefore Draco, made their own fortunes; Draco had invested heavily in Blaise's company from the beginning and had made quite a large sum in return for his faith in Blaise and his invention.

Blaise had invented a Portkey that could be programmed to go between two specific points and had unlimited trips.

The benefit for the user was always having a Portkey ready to get back and forth from their regular destinations. Draco had given his seal of approval stating that, "Thank Merlin I no longer get handed an old boot or used piece of silverware after waiting in queue so that I can get back to my home every night."

The Ministry of Magic signed a huge contract with Blaise's company that he could live off comfortably for life if he wished.

In addition, Blaise was free to sell his products to individuals or companies other than the Ministry, as long as his clients were cleared by the Department of Magical Transportation. Blaise could charge high fees if any of these was difficult to program.

Her next sketch is the building she is now in; her own art house.

Ginny recalls the day Draco had come to take her on a Hogsmeade weekend. They had lunch at The Three Broomsticks, and upon leaving he had started walking towards the residential area of the village.

"_Where are we going Draco?"_

"_You'll see. It's a surprise that we will both enjoy." _

_Ginny frowned at the back of the platinum head. Draco knew she didn't mind surprises, but she had little patience if she had to wait for one._

_Soon enough though, they rounded a corner to a tidy cul-de-sac of small but elegant looking houses. She grabbed his hand and asked him again where they were going. _

"_We're here." Draco turned up a path lined with lilies to a two story house with an enclosed veranda, leading to a set of striking double doors._

"_Welcome to Malfoy Minor." _

_Ginny laughed at his play on the obviously much smaller scale house to the Wiltshire Estate of Malfoy Manor._

_They entered and began touring the house, and Ginny discovered it was not at all small once you were inside. It was enchanted to appear quaint on the outside, but still held a modest eight bedrooms, seven baths, two drawing rooms, a study, a game and entertainment room, and an indoor pool with a hot tub. The kitchen was large and airy and the master bedroom had a sitting room, a study and two attached bathrooms._

_The more Ginny saw of the house the more she fell in love with it. After the tour Draco showed her a hidden room on the first floor. Inside was a small table about four feet high, and in the centre was one of Blaise's Portkeys._

"_Are you ready to go?" Draco looked at Ginny like it was Christmas morning and he couldn't wait to get to the tree._

"_Where are we going, Draco?" _

"_To the place that Blaise's Portkey invention helped me get for you." _

_Ginny was confused, as she had thought the house was the surprise. _

"_Come on. Hold my hand and we'll touch the key at the same time." _

_Ginny was too excited at all she had already seen to protest. She looked at him and they touched at the same time. She felt the pull of the Portkey and within seconds felt herself land rather nicely at the same table as she had just been at, but in a different room._

"_Blaise's new Portkeys are wicked! I didn't even feel sick or dizzy, or have to pick myself up off the floor." Ginny had always hated Portkeys, as they left you disoriented and usually sprawled on the ground feeling humiliated. _

_Draco silently took her hand and led her out of the small room._

_They were in what resembled a very clean warehouse. The room was large, square, and had extremely high ceilings. It was partitioned into one large space with two smaller rooms to the side. What made Ginny gasp was that in one of the rooms was a fully equipped art studio. It had everything necessary for all types of mediums and everything was of the highest quality._

_Draco had immediately gasped for air, as the breath was being squeezed out of him by a crying redhead. _

"_Oh, Draco. It's too wonderful. I can't wait to start working here." _

_Ginny had touched and examined all of the lovely paints, easels, sculpting tables and various materials throughout the room._

"_The other small room will be for classes if you choose to teach." Draco had tried to think of everything that would bring happiness to the one he loved. _

"_What will be in the big room?" _

_Draco hugged her from behind and said, "That's also yours. Where else do you think you're going to be showing off all of your work? This is all yours, if you want it."_

"_Are you crazy? Of course I want it. You know art is my life now. I told you I turned down that offer from the Harpies. I don't want to be a professional Quidditch player; that takes all the fun out of playing." _

_Draco breathed a silent sigh of relief. _

_He knew what she had told him, but Draco had still been afraid Ginny might change her mind; that would mean long hours and days apart, and he didn't want to deal with that. _

"_You just have to think of a name for it. But you have time, as you won't be able to come here until you've graduated."_

The sketch of their house in Hogsmeade brings a huge smile to her face. This was the house that bonded Molly and Narcissa together as the ordained matchmakers. They both wanted grandbabies and both thoroughly agreed that Draco and Ginny were perfect for each other. They campaigned relentlessly once Draco and Ginny moved in together to have them married.

Narcissa would smirk and Draco would scowl at her when Ginny would win an argument in front of his mother. She knew that though his Malfoy pride might suffer a little, his Black family heart cherished his girlfriend with the strength to fight for what she believed in; even if that fight was against him. Sometimes he let her win just to see that sexy 'I told you so' look on her face.

Once, after a particularly brutal visit from Molly where she practically had Ginny caving in to her wishes for marriage for her and Draco, Draco knew they needed to solidify their future plans.

"_Ginny, love. Maybe your mum is right. Do we need to get married to prove we'll be together forever? Would it make you feel better?" Draco was nervous as he knew he wanted to spend his life with Ginny, but eighteen was so young to get married._

"_Draco, I don't want to get married and make babies." _

_Though Draco had just been thinking he wasn't ready for marriage, he definitely wasn't ready to think that Ginny didn't want a family with him. _

_He knew that eventually she would be a Malfoy, but now his heart was beating rapidly thinking she didn't want the same._

_His face must have reflected his shock, for she instantly recanted. "No, Draco. I meant I don't want these things right now. I just graduated and want to start the art gallery. How can I do that if I become a baby factory?" _

_Draco was stiff with tension as he watched her. He wanted children eventually but what were Ginny's plans? _

"_Look, I'm just not old enough to think about starting a family. Is that okay with you?" Ginny looked to Draco with apprehension at what he might be thinking. "I want to get to know every part of you. I want to spend the years of my youth doing youthful things. I've already had to grow up too quickly in this war-torn society. I want to enjoy the peace with you."_

_Draco released the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. "Thank Merlin, Ginny. I was afraid you might want to start filling your own Burrow straight out of school like your mum. I'm not ready to become a father yet either. But I definitely want you as the mum when I am ready for a family."_

_Ginny looked piercingly into his eyes as if gauging exactly what the implication of that meant. "When do you see yourself ready? How big a family do you want?"_

_Draco knew his answer could turn this to an ugly situation if he didn't answer carefully. "Well, I want to make sure my companies can run themselves and that I'm financially independent of the Malfoy fortune in case that ever turns sour. As far as kids, I'd like to have more than one but less than four. After about ten years or so, I guess."_

_Ginny looked nonplussed and Draco prepared himself for a flare up. She simply kissed him lovingly, placed her head against his heart and spoke softly. "You know, I love you because you always seem to understand what I need. Having six brothers cured any need for a large family I might have ever harboured, and by the time I'm thirty or so I should be ready to settle down and take on the Malfoy name. But I won't live without you in the meantime."_

"_Ginny, love. This last year has been torture. I _can't_ live without you anymore." _

The next set of sketches softened Ginny's heart, and were the only thing to give pause to her conviction to wait another five or six years to start their family. The sight of beautiful, cherubic, Zeus Zanebono Zabini.

Her favourite sketch in this series is a colour sketch that shows just how special Luna and Blaise's son is.

_Little Zeus was cradled in Draco's arms, sleeping. It was the first time Draco held his godson and he had just finished lecturing Blaise on his cruel choice of names for the child. Draco insisted he was destined to be a Hufflepuff with the curse of triple Z's. _

"_Who the hell names their kid Zeus Zanebono? What does that mean? 'Please torture me endlessly?'" _

_Blaise laughed at his friend. "One would think you cared about the 'little spawn' as you so lovingly called him. His names are quite powerful and I'm sure will provide him all the protection he needs against the Nargles."_

_Blaise reached over and softly stroked his son as he slept on in Draco's embrace. The babe's toffee coloured skin blended perfectly with his soft, glossy and slightly curly black hair. The tones of his skin brought out the golden undertones of Draco's skin, and the two looked as if they belonged seated on the thrones of Olympus where Zeus' namesake presided. _

"_We're thinking to call him Zane. In Italian Zanebono is 'the good one' so we figured calling him that -rather than Lord of Sky and Thunder- will keep him on a straight track." _

_Blaise looked across the room to where his wife sat talking to Ginny and smiled. "Luna is convinced I am too conceited and this trait may carry on to the tyke if we call him a lordly name." _

_Draco raised a sceptical brow in reply, looking down to the child in his arms so his father did not see him smirking at how soft the snake had become since starting his family. Draco picked up the tiny fist of Zane and wondered how he would change when he got a 'little spawn' of his own. _

Ginny looks now upon the portrait she's working on; the Zabini family portrait. She admires the work and is starting to think this may be one of the best consignment pieces she's ever done.

Sitting on a deep green loveseat are Blaise and Luna, resting comfortably snuggled together. Luna is large with pregnancy and Blaise is holding two year old Zane in his arms. Ginny knows this is a true portrayal of what this growing family really is, as the Zabini heir is reaching for something over Blaise's shoulders in concentration; Luna swears he sees Nargles and is always trying to catch them.

Ginny loves the colour of the boy's eyes, an exotic blend of green-gold speckled with Luna's cornflower blue. This boy will no doubt be the downfall of many a heart at Hogwart's when he comes of age to attend.

Caught up in her admiration of the Zabini family unit and the love and acceptance prevalent there, she doesn't hear Draco come up behind her.

When a pair of warm arms embraces her from behind she jumps a little.

"Mmm, sorry love; couldn't help myself. When I see you looking so enamoured of familial life I just want to practice making babies." Giving her a kiss on the top of her head, he releases Ginny and steps around in front of her.

Ginny looks up at the future father of her children and knows she can wait a few more years. She can be an auntie for now and practice making babies with Draco long into the night without worrying about waking the children.

"Let's go home, love. That meeting has me hungry and ready for a long soak in the hot tub." Draco reaches out his hand to draw Ginny up and into his arms again.

"How did the meeting go? Did you reach an agreement with your difficult client?" Ginny is proud of the business man Draco has become. He is building his own company bit by bit, and not relying on the fortune previously created by his ancestors. He wants to live his life independent of the Malfoy fortunes that were made many times at the expense of the happiness of others.

"You are now holding the silent partner of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Your brother is a shrewd business man for being such a prankster."

Ginny grins. "Yes, George has always been the brains of the business. He takes it very seriously these days, and leaves most of the inventing to his various employees and nieces and nephews."

Ginny stands up on her toes and gives Draco a lingering kiss. "Let's go home. Malfoy Minor awaits the arrival of its master."

"Yes. I'm ready for dinner, a long soak, and then I'm going to show you just who your master is, Mrs. Future Malfoy." His kiss is full of love, passion and enough strength to carry them through their life together. Tomorrow he plans on proposing to Ginny after the family dinner at the Burrow, and he feels assured she will accept.

As he begins to draw her away, Ginny turns and winks at the Zabini portrait.

"We'll see who the master is tonight," she says, as he leads her by the hand. "I believe it's my turn; although I may have to cleanse you of any Nargles first."

Draco throws her over his shoulder and heads for the Portkey room. "We'll see who needs Nargle taming," he murmurs, and gives a healthy smack on her backside as Ginny giggles.

Fin


End file.
